The first-person shooter (FPS) genre has become one of the most saturated genres in gaming, with the likes of military fictionCall of Duty, hero battle royaleApex Legends, and tacticalRainbow Six Siegetrying to diversify with unique mechanics and features. However, there’s a reason why FPS games remain so popular - the gameplay loop is extremely straightforward. Players simply pick up a weapon, get to know where enemies are, and the trigger fingers will do the rest.
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This is perhaps also the reason why the genre remains one of the oldest in existence, with quite a lot of FPS titles turning 30 this 2022. As fans might expect, some titles that were released in the 90s and prior to that will likely not have the most appealing graphics and gameplay styles. However, some of these titles do hold the prestige of introducing some of the most known features in modern FPS titles.
5RoboCop 3
Compared to otherRoboCopgames at the time that mainly were platformers,RoboCop 3finally allows players to play the man behind the suit himself. The game is a loose adaptation of 1993’sRoboCop 3, with the game being made prior to the film’s release. A unique aspect of the game fans of the franchise would love lies in its story, as filmmakers Orion Pictures only gave the game’s devs a limited grasp on the story. In turn,RoboCop 3has the same premise as the eventual film but possesses drastic differences that make the game a unique alternate take on the plot.
At its core,devs ofRoboCop 3use a modified F29 Retaliator flight-sim engine to simulate a fully polygonal experiencethat allows players to aim and shoot at enemies actively. The advanced graphics at the time allowed players to explore alleyways, establishments like police stations, and even the OCP Building itself to face a wide variety of baddies. Given its rudimentary graphics system, the game lacks a fast-enough strafing system as players can only turn by aiming at the far end of the screen. Despite the difficulties these provide regarding aim, the game remains an enjoyable FPS experience.
4Gun Buster
Fans of arcade games know that Japan is where the cool games are at, with modern arcade titles featuring a wide range of unique mechanics such as exclusive cockpits and cards. Such was the case ofGun Buster, which seems like thetypical rail gun arcade shooterif not for its mechanics.
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When playing the game,Gun Busterfeatures a wide array of moving components such as rain and glass in order to spice up the overall environment. Not only that, multiple enemies can populate the screen at once and force players to adapt quickly - shooting at projectiles or having to move around to dodge them. Likewise, the game allows up to four (4) players to crowd the screen all at once, with some in charge of moving around while others are delegated to shoot - giving the game an intense cooperative feel.
3Catacomb Abyss
As with other games at the time,Catacombs 3-Dhas a rather straightforward premise: the high wizard Petton Everhail has to descend into the eponymous catacombs of Towne Cemetery torescue his friend Grelminar from the forces of the evil lich Nemesis. After players defeat Nemesis, they return for yet another installment in 1992, namedCatacomb Abyss.Bearing the same mechanics asCatacomb 3-D,Catacomb Abyssis known to be the only game in theCatacombseries ever released in shareware.
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Serving as the sequel toCatacomb 3-D,Catacomb Abyssneeds to visit the Mausoleum built after Nemesis in his demise to put an end to his minions once and for all. UnlikeCatacomb 3-Dwhich focused heavily on a cramped, dark cemetery-like environment,Catacomb Abyssprides itself in featuring multiple environments and locales. These include mines, gardens and aqueducts, volcanic regions, and other environments that breathe more color to its varied enemies.
2Ultima Underworld: The Stygian Abyss
Fans of RPGs would likely have heard of theUltimaseries of classic games, much of which involves an isometric view where players explore an overworld to do quests. This time around, players take the role of the Avatar as they explore the remnants of a civilization in the Great Stygian Abyss in search of a baron’s kidnapped daughter.
Aside from being thefirst title in theUltimaseries to feature an attempt in having both a 3D format and a first-person POV, it’s also the first game to ever feature first-person action in such a visual format. Innovations in the game include allowing players to look up and down and even use a variety of HUD elements. While primarily focusing on melee action,Ultima Underworldallows players to use a variety of ranged weapons. Despite its rudimentary mechanics,Ultima Underworldis a step toward FPS fantasy RPGs that have ranged mechanics.
1Wolfenstein 3D
While the iconicDoomto revolutionize the FPS genre would be released just a year later, it’sWolfenstein 3Din 1992 that practically pushed what the genre had for its limits back then. Starring Allied spy William “B.J.” Blazkowicz,Wolfenstein 3Ddocuments B.J.’s escape from Castle Wolfenstein, a Nazi German prison, and his subsequent attempts of conducting special missions to the detriment of the Nazi offensive.
Starting only as an idea to “recreate” the 1981 shooterCastle Wolfensteinas an action title while trying to adapt early attempts at 3D space. What perhaps madeWolfenstein 3Dextremely iconic was its combat style. Its fast-paced action and utilization of tech trends at the time madeWolfenstein 3Dinstrumental in the rise of FPS titles, with others often considering it the grandfather of the genre.
